He’s been the most significant personality for the Minnesota Vikings in recent weeks, but the Brian Flores question may have […]
He’s been the most significant personality for the Minnesota Vikings in recent weeks, but the Brian Flores question may have been answered on Saturday. The Pittsburgh Steelers have zeroed in on former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy for their vacant head coaching job.
The team confirmed the move on social media.
Flores has interviewed for only two of the ten openings this year, with the Baltimore Ravens and the Steelers. A couple of days ago, the Ravens appointed Jesse Minter, the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers. As the Steelers’ door is closing, Flores is running out of realistic options at this point.
Of course, it is important to note that the other four franchises without a head coach (Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Cleveland Browns) could still chat with Minnesota’s defensive mind. As of Saturday, however, there hasn’t been any indication that he would be in consideration at either place.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported, “Mike McCarthy is coming home. The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to hire the 62-year-old head coach, a Pittsburgh native, to be just their fourth head coach since 1969, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday afternoon. The news of McCarthy’s impending hire comes just 11 days after Mike Tomlin told the team he was walking away from the role after 19 seasons as the head coach.”
Tomlin, a former Vikings coordinator, has stepped down, opening Pittsburgh’s HC job for the first time in nearly two decades and just for the fourth time since 1969.
McCarthy, not related to J.J. McCarthy, won a Super Bowl with the Packers, where he worked alongside Aaron Rodgers for a long time. After the Packers went in a different direction with Matt LaFleur, McCarthy took a brief break before returning as the head coach of the Cowboys. The experienced coach was let go last offseason, once again taking a one-year break.
Pryor added, “The Steelers selected McCarthy after interviewing seven candidates virtually and three, including McCarthy, in person. They also held in-person interviews with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. McCarthy had his in-person interview on Jan. 21, while Weaver was in the building Jan. 24. Flores interviewed first on Jan. 20.”
Flores was considered a strong candidate, but ultimately, it seems as if he’s set to enter his fourth season as the defensive coordinator in Minnesota. Earlier this week, the Vikings announced that Flores extended his DC contract. That doesn’t prevent him from departing for a head coaching job elsewhere, but it shuts the door on any lateral-move speculation.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell commented on his defensive captain when the extension was announced, “Brian has a unique ability to connect with players, understand their skill sets, and put them in positions to maximize their impact on the field. The identity of our defense is a reflection of his leadership and preparation. On a personal level, I’ve really valued the relationship we’ve built over the last three years, and that shared trust, alignment and high standard will continue to be critical to our success.”
O’Connell hired Flores in the 2023 offseason, after the defensive side of the ball ruined a promising 2022 campaign. He quickly turned his unit into the most aggressive defense in football. With some reinforcement from a personnel standpoint in 2024, Flores elevated his squad towards elite status in both 2024 and 2025.
Unless another team unexpectedly re-enters the picture, this hiring cycle is about to close without a landing spot for Flores. For the Vikings, that outcome feels like a quiet victory.
Keeping Flores preserves the identity of a defense that has become one of the most aggressive and reliable units in the league — a stabilizing force for a roster still searching for offensive consistency. Instead of scrambling to replace a cornerstone coach, Minnesota gets continuity, confidence, and a clear path forward. All signs point to Flores returning for another season in Minnesota, and that’s a result the Vikings will gladly take.
